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Ventilate Home Before Occupancy (Indoor AirPlus Requirement)

Description

DOE Zero Energy Ready Home (Revision 07)

Exhibit 1 Mandatory Requirements.
Exhibit 1, Item 6) Certified under EPA Indoor AirPlus.

 

EPA Indoor AirPlus

7.2 Ventilation after Material Installation. Ventilate the home with outside air at the highest rate and duration practical, meeting ventilation requirements for outdoor air flow and humidity control (see Item 4.5):

  • During and shortly after installing products that are known sources of contaminants (e.g., cabinets, carpet padding and painting), AND
  • During the period between finishing and occupancy.

Advisory: If whole house ventilation cannot be scheduled prior to occupancy, advise the buyer to operate the ventilation system at the highest rate it can provide during the first few months of occupancy, meeting the above requirements.

 

Additional Notes:

To protect the health of home occupants and construction crews, select the lowest volatile organic compound (VOC)-containing products available. Even when selecting low-VOC certified paints, coatings, cabinets, carpet, and composite wood, these products may not be 100% emissions-free. In building materials, VOCs tend to be emitted at the highest levels when the materials are new, with emissions lessening over time. Therefore, to protect construction teams and future occupants, ventilate the home during and shortly after installing products that are known sources of contaminants (e.g., cabinets, carpet padding, paint, and other finishes). Also ventilate during the time between construction completion and occupancy. See the guides Certified Low-Emission Composite Wood Products, Certified Low/No Emission Interior Paints and Finishes, and Certified Low-Emission Carpet Adhesives and Carpet for more information.

 

Contributors to this Guide:

Home Innovations Research Labs, lead for the Partnership for Home Innovation (PHI), a DOE Building America Research Team

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References and Resources*

DOE Zero Energy Ready Home National Program Requirements

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
·
Organization(s)
DOE
Description
Website listing implementation timelines and links to various versions of the DOE Zero Energy Ready Home national program requirements.

Indoor AirPlus Program Documents

Publication Date
·
Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
·
Organization(s)
EPA
Description
Website providing the technical specifications and related documents for home builders, subcontractors, architects, and other housing professionals interested in certifying a home to the EPA's Indoor airPLUS program requirements.

* For non-dated media, such as websites, the date listed is the date accessed.

Contributors to this Guide

The following authors and organizations contributed to the content in this Guide.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Last Updated

Disclaimer

This content is a work created with funding provided by the United States Department of Energy under Contract no DE-AC05-076RL01830 for the operation of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The information and guidance provided by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in the content are intended solely for educational purposes only and do not constitute formal training or certification. It is provided with the explicit understanding that neither the United States Government nor the United States Department of Energy, nor the Contractor, nor any or their employees, nor any jurisdiction or organization that has cooperated in the development of these materials, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness or any information, apparatus, product, software, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof, or Battelle Memorial Institute. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof. Viewers assumes full responsibility for all actions that they may take from information provided in this content including ensuring the safety, code compliance, and proper functionality of any products they choose to install. Installation and use of such products should be performed in accordance with local regulations and manufacturer instructions.